


F&M

by asharaofthedawn



Category: The Tudors (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-25 08:11:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16193567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asharaofthedawn/pseuds/asharaofthedawn
Summary: The story of François and Mary.





	1. Ardent Desire

The King notices her soon after she begins to attend Queen Claude. Mary catches his little glances at her here and there. She never lets on she sees them, praying he may lose interest if he views his attentions fruitless. Sexual morality has been instilled in her and Anne since they were nothing more then children. She does not want to give herself to him, but if he presses, she must let him in. Who says no to a king?

A servant stops her one day as she leaves Queen Claude, and passes her a fine box. It is covered with black velvet and has a gold clasp. "What is this _Monsieur_?" A pit is forming in her stomach. She already knows who it's from. 

"A gift from His _Majesté_ to you _Mademoiselle_ _Boullan_." She takes it from him, her fingers itching to open it. 

"Tell His _Majesté_ that I am unworthy of any gifts from him, but I readily accept with an open heart." Once the servant is out of sight she scurries to her shared bedroom with Anne. Her sister sits on her bed, her red hood discarded. 

"Mary what's wrong? You have an awful look on your face." Mary holds out the box.

"A gift from His _Majesté_ to me." Anne takes it and undos the clasp. Inside is a beautiful sapphire broach.

"Oh Mary, look at it." There's a hint of awe to her voice. 

"It's stunning, but I hate what it represents." Mary says with sigh as she sits. 

"Will you go to him?" Anne takes her hand.

"If he sends for me, I will go. I have no other choice." François is handsome, and a king, but Mary has always assumed her husband will be the first man she'll ever be with.

"But you do! You could say no!"

"And possibly bring his wrath upon us and father? Never! If he requests me, I will go to him." She picks up the broach and studies it. Anne kisses her cheek. 

"I will pray some other lady will catch his eye before he can send for you."

"Thank you." Mary says softly

He does not send for her that night, or the night after that. She begins to relax, thinking Anne's prayers might've been answered. 

He dines with Queen Claude a few days later, and Mary waits upon them. His eyes watch her as they always do, and this time he discreetly brushes his hand against hers. A spark runs through her, but she keeps her face emotionless. Claude notices it, Mary can see it in her eyes. And Mary sees the woman she has so long admired turn against her in an instant. 

Claude isn't jealous of the women François sees, its how the courtiers view her because of it, that upsets her. And Claude fears the influence a mistress could wield. Mary has now become a threat in her eyes. The queen may be been pious and kind, but she has an iron will. She could never dismiss Mary as long as she has the king's eye, but she can make her life miserable if she wishes.

He sends for her that night. It's almost like the dinner reminded him of her existence. She wears her finest gown, a deep blue to match her broach. It ties up in the front and is made of silk. A gift from her father upon her arrival in France.

She's led through the Louvre to the King's chambers by a single servant. The door opens, and she drops into a curtsies. " _Mademoiselle_ _Boullan_ , come. You may go." He directs the latter at the servant. The door shuts behind them, and Mary swallows her nerves. 

François puts out his hand and she takes it. She rises from her curtsy and glances out his face. He is the most handsomest man she's ever seen. He looks down at her, eyes smouldering. "May I kiss you _Mademoiselle_?" 

"Of course, _Majesté_." 

"Call me François." He mummers, and captures her mouth in a hot kiss. Her fingers go into his hair, and his hands wrap around her waist. His robe falls the the floor, and he runs a hand up her thigh. Mary falls onto the bed, and François climbs on top of her.

He breaks the kiss, and looks at her for confirmation. She gives a slight nod, and he undos his breeches. He positions himself, and slowly enters her. A cool trickle runs down her thigh, and she feels slight discomfort. He begins to pick up his pace, and the discomfort is replaced with pure pleasure.

Their breaths mingles, and she pulls his face to hers. François rips apart the laces of her dress, revealing her corset and bust. He buries his face in between her breast, and nips at them. They both reach their peak, and cry out. He rolls off of her, kisses her neck, and draped his arm across her stomach. They stay like that until dawn breaks.


	2. Carpe Diem

Mary spends most of her nights with him, leaving before he's meant to rise. She scurries back to her room just in time to ready for the queen. New gifts are almost always on her bed when she returns to her room. A gold and ruby crucifix, a new silk blue dress to replace the one he ripped, and new hood in the French fashion have all been gifted to her.

Anne speaks no judgement, but Mary can sense her sister's worry. The fear that this all could coming crashing down around them. Once Mary had feared the same thing, but now she loves François too much to care. And he cares for her too, she can tell. It might not be love, but it could become that for him someday.

François holds a masque in honour of Queen Claude's birthday, and Mary and Anne are chosen to participate as they are the Queen's ladies. They are dressed in gowns of silver cloth made in the Florentine style. The corset stops under their bust, and goes into a full skirt. The sleeves are puffy at the top and go into a slimmer fit towards the bottom. They wear round Florentine headdresses as well, revealing their hair. Around her neck Mary wears the crucifix François gave her. 

Mary is placed on the top dais with Marguerite of Alençon, François's sister. Claude does not participate, she's never liked masques. The only reason this one is happening is because François adores them, and he believes a good masque reflects well on himself and France. 

Several other ladies line the lower levels of the fake castle built for the masque. Anne stands a level lower with Françoise de Foix, another one of Claude's ladies.

A trumpet sounds, declaring the start of the masque. Several lords dressed in white and gold with large masks covering their faces, race into the room and to the castle gates. They are stopped by several French lords dressed in all black with masks made to look like beasts. "Halt! You may not pass!" One cries out.

"And why not?" A man, who she recognizes as Anne de Montmorency by his voice, speaks. Mary also sees François by his side. Even bowed down he's still the tallest man in the room. 

"Our sisters reside inside those walls, and they are living lives of virtue. If you breech these defences, you will spoil and ruin them!" Another 'brother' sneers.

"It appears you think we plan to do more then breech defences." De Montmorency says suggestively, causing a laugh to erupt throughout the audience.

"We'll die before that happens!" The same man declares.

"Then it seems we must fight. Attack!" The men raise their decorated wooden swords and wrestled with the other men. The doors to the castle are soon opened, and François and the others come pouring through. François climbs to were Marguerite and Mary reside. 

"Sister." He kisses Marguerite's hand.

" _Majesté_." She dips a curtsy. François turns from her and takes Mary's hand.

" _Mademoiselle_." He guides her from the dais and onto the floor. The lords and ladies go into a line, and Marguerite speaks loud enough to be heard.

"May we see the faces of our saviours?" 

"Of course _Madame_."  De Montmorency bows. Mary and the other ladies step forward and remove their partner's mask. François smiles at her as he is revealed and butterflies flutter in her stomach.

The flute and violin start up, and François takes her hand. They dance a _Coranto_ , following the other dancers down the hall and back. Mary stops, and François dances around her. Jumping and spinning. He comes to a stop and Mary begins to dance around him. Lightly jumping and twirling as he did around her. François takes her hand and they jump and dance in line with the others. The music comes to a stop, signalling the end of the dance. Mary curtesy and he takes her hand again, and brings her back up.

"I have another gift for you." He bends down to her ear. Mary fights a blush at his forwardness and glances around the room. She locks eyes with a silently fuming Claude and her stomach drops. She swallows her unease and looks back at François.

"I am unworthy of all of these gifts _Majesté_." 

"Nonsense." He walks her off the floor, and to the side of the room. He waves a servant to him. The servant boy passes him a gold locket. François opens up his palm. "Take it." Mary lifts it by its chain, and sees an engraving on the outside. An F interlocked with an M. Like what he has with Claude, but the C has been replaced with Mary's M. She'soverwhelmed with emotion already, and gingerly opens it. Inside is a portrait of François.

" _Majesté_ , I don't know what to say." She says flustered. He kisses her cheek quickly, but gently. 

"You will soon be my queen in all but name." He whispers. She locks eyes with him and he kisses her palm. She feels as though she may cry. Mary never thought when she arrived in France, that any of this would ever happen.

* * *

 She wakes up in his bed the next morning, satisfied. François rolls over and pecks a kiss on her nose. "I wish we could stay like this forever." She says quietly as she plays with one of her dark curls.

"As do I, my mare, but the kingdom of France never rests." She kisses him and climbs out of bed. Mary pulls her dress from the masque off the floor, and he ties the corset strings. She kisses him once more before slipping out of the room and returning to her chambers. She quietly opens her chamber door and steps in. Shutting it behind her. When she turns she is greeted by her father sitting on her bed. Anne sits on her own bed, dressed in a simple red gown. A look of worry is etched on Anne’s face.

"Papa, you've returned from London." Her voice slightly shakes and she gulps. Her father had been visiting King Henry, and they hadn't seen each other for many months. Long before François took an interest in her.

"Where have you been Mary?" Thomas Boleyn completely ignores what she just said. 

"I was just out-" He cuts her off.

"Do not say you were just out. I returned last night and came to see you and Nan. When I arrived your sister said you were 'just out', so I decided to wait for you. Yet it is now almost dawn and you're just returning to your chambers. I'll ask again, where were you?" Mary wishes for the floor to swallow her up. 

"I was with King François." She can't bring herself to look at him, knowing the look of disappointment she'll see on his face.

“Whoring yourself out to him?” He asks emotionless. 

“Papa!” Anne exclaims with horror. 

“I was him, in the way you just said.” Tears threaten to fall. Mary feels so hurt and humiliated by her father’s behaviour. 

“Well, you won’t be sharing his bed for much long. You are to return to England to marry William Carey, putting an end to all this.” He waves his hand toward her. 

“No I won’t!” She protests.

“What?” This is one of the only times she’s seen her father shocked. His children always obey him.

“I love King François, and believe he loves me. He said I will soon be his queen in all but name. I think he plans to make me his _Maitresse en Titre._ I can’t marry William Carey.”

“He loves you?” Thomas scoffs. “If he loves you so much, why did I hear in London that he tells his lords that you are his English Mare, and that he ‘rides you so often?’ Hmm? If he loved you he would not be bragging about you like you’re nothing more then a common street whore. Forget François and France. You’re returning to England with me, and that’s final!” He pushes past her and slams the door. Mary drops to the floor in anguish and Anne rushes to her side.

“Oh Nan, what am I going to do?” She asks tearfully. 

“I don’t know Mary.” Her sister answers honestly, breaking Mary’s heart even more. She can’t lose François, she just can’t!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay first off, the masque scene in this is definitely influenced by the masquerade scene from The Tudors where Henry VIII meets Anne Boleyn. It’s also influenced by the masquerade scene from InCeruleanInk‘s Wild For To Hold.
> 
> Anne de Montmorency was a good friend of François’s at this time and ended up becoming Marsahl and Constable of France. The Coranto was a dance created in the French Court, normally it’s just danced by one couple, but for the sake of the story I made it into a several couple dance.


End file.
